Stumbling Into Fate
by JessyG
Summary: Chichi knows her time has come. She is going to die alone. Or is she?


Stumbling Into Fate

A Post Dragonball GT fanfiction by JessyG

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball GT or any of the characters created by Akira Toriyama.

"Bye mom we'll see you later, Happy Birthday again!" Chichi smiled at her family as they bid their goodbyes from her 92nd birthday celebration. Pan, now an adult, kissed her grandmother and walked out the door hand in hand with her boyfriend. She waved and watched them fly into the distance, Gohan and Videl left shortly after.

"I won't tell you again to put your shoes on, son," Goten said offhandedly to his son as he helped his wife put on her jacket. "I'll meet you both in the car." Chichi let a small, content sigh escape her small form as she watched her daughter-in-law and grandson leave her empty house. Goten cocked his head to the side and smiled at her.

"Oh, Mom," he said softly and rested his hands on her frail shoulders. "I hate leaving you all alone in this house. It's unfair." Chichi stared up into her son's dark eyes, she felt her heart skip a beat at how much her youngest had grown. She moved a stray hair from his face that was so similar to her beloved Goku's and forced a smile.

"You and Gohan sound like broken records," she chuckled. "I'm perfectly fine here by myself. I am still the strongest woman in the world...despite being an old lady."

"Don't say that…you _aren't _old." Goten frowned at his mother's words. In his eyes, she was still the same woman who had trained him and urged him to become strong.

Chichi threw her head back and laughed, Goten never ceased to amaze her. It was as though he couldn't see her wrinkles or snow white hair—like she was still the single, young mother who had brought up two boys completely on her own. But she couldn't remain so stubborn and naïve, she had to face the fact that she was a wrinkled old woman.

And it broke her heart.

She felt the familiar ache of loneliness pull at her heart, she hurriedly ushered Goten to the door wanting to be left in peace. She playfully pushed him to the door and he obliged, chuckling lightly. When he was in the doorway, though, he stopped. "Mom," the laughter from his voice faded and he gazed at Chichi with sad eyes. "Look, Valese and I have been talking. We've agreed that you should move in with us."

Chichi shook her head and forced another smile, "Thank you, Goten. But I really am fine. I wouldn't want to intr-"

"Stop right there," Goten interrupted, "I know what you're going to say and it's ridiculous. If I were worried about you intruding I wouldn't have mentioned it—you know me. I'm the selfish son." He flashed a grin identical to the same goofy smile Goku would always give Chichi when he wanted something. It was a smile that Chichi could never refuse when it came to Goku.

The memory of Goku was bittersweet, and Chichi felt the familiar onset of tears sting her dark and tired eyes. With a shake of her head and another forced smile she spoke, "Goten, my love. I appreciate what you're saying, but I can't leave this house…there are too many wonderful memories etched into these walls."

"There are a lot of bad memories, too." Goten's frown was back.

Chichi struggled to keep the flow of tears at bay, but somehow her voice remained strong. "The good ones by far outweigh the bad."

A moment of silence broke out between the two, Goten surveyed his mother as though it was going to be the last time he would ever see her. A look Chichi had received from Goku many, many times before. She was just beginning to lose the fight against her own emotions when Goten suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. "Mom," he whispered, "my offer will always be here for you…if you ever have a change of heart. Even if you call me in an hour and say you want to come live with us I'll be here in an instant."

"I'll keep that in mind, dear." She replied softly.

The horn of the car outside honked, Valese was growing impatient. Goten jerked away and walked outside to wave at her before he walked back into the house to leave a lingering kiss on his mother's cheek. "I love you, mom." He said quickly. Chichi smiled at him again and he walked out for the last time, shutting the door behind him.

She stood in the light of the setting sun that illuminated the house in a soft, orange glow and waited until the car door slammed and drove off before she made a move. She made her way to the soft white couch and sat down, and with the last smile still on her face she gasped at the air she had been so desperately fighting. Tears ran down her cheeks and doubled over with the sobs that began running through her body.

Chichi buried her face in her hands and continued to cry. It had been a long time since she had last cried so hard, so painfully. She hadn't cried in such a fashion since the day Goku had disappeared with the dragonballs, the day she had promised herself never to cry again. She was angry and hurt for having broken her promise. But as the years had been going by and as her death was approaching she had found it harder and harder not to let the tears and emotion overtake her.

It was due to Goten's worried stares and concerned words that she had finally broken down. Chichi had managed to keep her oncoming death a secret from everyone, but somehow Goten had managed to see through her quiet disguise. That last embrace was all she could take.

She knew she would be dead by morning. She also knew that she was going to die alone—without her children and, most importantly, her Goku. How desperately she yearned for him, if only she could see him one last time. If only she had been born a Saiyan too, then she would not have grown old. Maybe then Goku would have taken her with him on whatever journey he was on now.

But Chichi had never been one to dwell much on the "what if's" of life. She didn't want to be sad, ashamed, or afraid. She didn't want to die alone and with the tears still falling freely and the sun finally settled she jumped up from the couch to rush to the door in the hopes that maybe Goten was still outside or close enough that she could catch him.

Her voice cracked as she opened the door and gathered her voice to yell, "Go-" But the words caught in her throat when she caught sight of who was in the doorway.

Goku smiled down his elderly wife and grinned, "Hi, Chichi."

Chichi took in the image of her husband, still young and handsome and strong and proud. Words escaped her, and all she could do was gape at the man standing in her door waiting expectantly. "Are you going to let me in?"

She reached up and touched his young face with her soft and wrinkled hands, as though he were a dream. She tugged lightly on his dark hair and then pinched her own hand and was relieved to feel the pain. "Oh, Kami, Goku!" she gasped and leapt threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his broad chest. Goku closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his frail little wife.

"It's good to hear your voice," he said softly before picking her up, as he always would during their hundreds of reunions, and carrying her upstairs to the bedroom they used to share.

Chichi sighed into the strong arms of her husband as he held her tightly in their bed. His chest rose and fell quickly, and his heart beat frantically. She closed her eyes at the sound of his breathing, she listened to the pounding of his heart as though it were a melody from her childhood.

"Are you awake?" His voiced broke the silence of the room which had been filled with their passionate voices only moments before.

"Yes," Chichi replied gently, opening her heavy eyes to gaze into his. She ran a hand through his hair and down his face, a customary post-love making action of hers. Goku grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly before placing it over his heart.

"I've missed you." He said in a sad voice.

"I've missed _you_." She replied. "I'm glad you've come to see me one last time."

Goku's brow furrowed, "Don't say that. I hate it when you say stuff like that." Chichi couldn't help but chuckle, her darling Saiyan warrior could never deal with the possibility of his wife's death. But she knew they both had to come to terms with the truth: this was the last time they would hold each other in their earthly forms. And it was going to be a long, long time before Goku would die.

"Goku," Chichi put her hands on his cheeks and kissed his lips. "In a few hours…I will be dead."

"Stop, Chichi," Goku said sternly. "I didn't come here to discuss your death. I came here to wish you a happy birthday." He moved her aside gently and got up from the bed, Chichi marveled at the way the moonlight played on his sculpted body, she shook her head to gather her thoughts.

"We can't deny the facts," Goku turned around to face her, a sad frown etched across his face.

"I don't want to hear this—and I don't want to fight."

"Goku, please. I can't wait forever, I'm only human."

"Stop."

"And I'm not getting younger. I'm not frozen in time like you and I won't get any chances. All I can do is go to Heaven and wait for you as I've always done."

"Enough. Please." Goku began to pace around the room, his voice becoming a low growl.

"The sun is going to rise in a few hours and I'll be gone for-"

"ENOUGH!" Chichi gasped at her husband's bellowing voice, he rushed to the bed and took her hands in his large ones, "I know I've been gone a long time—too long and I know that you aren't a Saiyan like me so you've aged. But don't say that you don't have any chances because I can give them to you! There are ways to turn back time, the dragonballs here on Earth may be gone, but there are other ways to revert you back to your youth so that we can be together forever. _That_ is why I'm here—to take you with me!"

Chichi stared at her husband in awe; for the first time in their lives he was showing desperation for her that he had never showed before. It was a weakness that was both becoming and heart breaking. She was overjoyed at the realization that her husband hadn't forgotten her after all, and she even more overjoyed at not having to die alone. But the prospect of staying alive whilst the rest of her friends and family died was frightening to her.

He gazed at her expectantly with piercing eyes. "Chichi?"

"I can't, Goku." She replied softly, moving her hands away from his.

"What?"

"Goku, I'm not as strong as you. I love you but…I'm afraid. And don't you think it's unfair? To have to watch our loved ones go…or even to watch others die when they are the ones who deserve another chance at life! I'm an old woman, Goku, I've lived my life. I've experienced more in my life than most people could in a hundred lives."

Goku frowned again, "I don't understand. Don't you want to be with me?"

"Yes! Oh, Kami, yes!" Chichi smiled at him and placed her hand on either side of his face, "But Goku, I am ready to leave this world. I was afraid of dying alone, but if I have you at my side--"

"Don't you think _I'm_ afraid of dying alone, Chichi?!" Goku exclaimed, tears forming in his dark eyes. "Don't you realize that I've wanted so badly to come home and be with you and our children? I sacrificed myself for you and the world and here I am begging you to come with me on my adventures and you're telling me you don't want to come!"

"Oh," Chichi could find no words.

"Chichi," Goku buried his head in her lap and let the tears flow freely. "I'm so afraid of dying alone but I'm even more afraid of watching _you_ die. I know you have to go...but I don't know when I'll get to see you again and I…I just want to be with you. Forever. Please, please don't go. Please come with me."

Chichi placed her small hands atop his head, "Goku," her voice was barely above a whisper. "Come here." He sat next to her on the bed and pulled her into his arms, where she rested her head against his chest.

"Goku, I would like nothing more than to be with you. To go on adventures with you like when we were young is my greatest dream. To hold you in my arms every day would be the greatest gift of all. But, darling, I am so tired. I've had to witness you come and go nearly all my life. I've had to raise two boys almost completely on my own. I've witnessed them each get married and have kids of their own and pretty soon even our grandchildren will produce their own babies. I've lost both my parents, some of my friends and you. I don't think I'm strong enough to lose everyone else too. I'm finding it hard to deny you. But, Goku, it's time for me to go. We both know it."

Goku listened to her words and knew he was being selfish and though it pained his heart, he knew he had to let her go. He quietly accepted her words and held her tightly. "I love you, Chichi."

"I love you too, Goku."

They remained quiet until the first light of the sun began to peak out from behind the mountains in the distance. Goku tensed and watched his wife's eyes slowly begin to drift close. "Chichi, tell me what it was like."

"What what was like?"

"Tell me what it was like the night before the Cell games."

Chichi frowned; drowsiness was overtaking her, "That was so long ago, Goku."

Goku's voice grew fervent, "But you remember, don't you? What was it like?"

Chichi sighed and shifted a bit before speaking, "It was difficult…we spent the entire night making love. I didn't sleep at all…"

"What else?"

"You kept saying you might not come back and that you wanted to spend the whole night in my arms. I didn't want to hear that you might die…but I knew it was true. I kept crying…I was so in love and so afraid because I didn't want to lose you. You told me it was going to be okay. You kept saying it over and over."

"Did it help?"

Chichi smiled, "Not really. But I trusted you. And I didn't want to waste time worrying…so I just…"

"Just what?"

"I just accepted it. I let you take my entire body, I couldn't deny you…I made sure to make it a night neither of us would ever forget. And I ignored the pain."

Goku stared out the window at the approaching light; he squeezed Chichi close to his body as though trying to keep her soul in her body. "I had no idea it was this painful. You really are the strongest woman in the world…no…the universe." Chichi laughed and shook her head, her eyes drifted close. "Does it get easier?"

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yes."

"No," Chichi replied sadly. "But I couldn't be sad all the time. Not when I had your children and your love tucked in my heart. And I knew that one way or another I would see you again. You just have to bear that in mind, Goku."

"I love you so much." Goku whispered again fearfully.

Chichi opened her eyes, kissed him swiftly and smiled. And Goku watched, with tears in her eyes, as she closed her eyes for the last time and took her very last breath.

And when the sunlight finally reached them and illuminated the couple, his Chichi was gone.


End file.
